Brussels, 18/02/2013 (Agence Europe) - While awaiting the results of the intensive tests agreed by the EU member states in response to the scandal of frozen ready-prepared horsemeat meals - which are marked as being made from beef - it is the co-lateral victims of this scandal that made the news on 18 February. The employees of Spanghero, the French business accused of fraud, were able to breathe a sigh of relief on learning from the French minister for agriculture, Stéphane Le Foll, that the suspension of official health approval had been partially lifted. The decision was taken at the end of comprehensive health controls conducted by inspectors from the French national brigade of veterinary investigations since Friday 15 February.
“In view of the intermediate conclusions, Stéphane Le Foll has decided to lift the suspension of health approval relating to the production of minced meat for sausages, the preparation of ready-made meals and the cutting of meat from the Spanghero SAS establishment. No non-conformity has indeed been found by the inspectors with regard to the raw materials and prepared products, which are all found to be good quality”, said a joint press release from the French ministries of agriculture and consumer affairs. By contrast, official health approval remains suspended for the storage activities of frozen raw materials.
Europe's vets are concerned and speak out. In the view of the FVE (Federation of Veterinarians of Europe) “this massive fraud” calls for the strengthening of mechanisms guaranteeing consumer protection. The FVE therefore calls for more effective controls on food from animal production at each stage of the food chain; - the establishment of an EU level register of health passports for horses so as to reduce the risk that horses excluded from slaughter for human consumption purposes be reintroduced into the health chain; - and extensive investigations to establish how phenylbutazone (a medicine which some member states allow to be administered to horses on the sole condition that the horses treated do not enter the food chain) has been able to be found in horsemeat. This is the proof that mechanisms must be strengthened preventing the introduction of contaminated meat into the food chain, the FVE states. In the FVE's view, “all actors should take common action to prevent this happening again” (our translation throughout). (AN/transl.fl)